Dilemma
by Jo-sen7
Summary: Suddenly, he was aware of the feel of Sendoh’s wellmuscled chest under his palms and how attractive the older boy looked with his hair falling all over his handsome face.... Chap5 up! Pls R&R! SENRU
1. Default Chapter

**Dilemma – Prologue**

**Disclaimer: Slam Dunk and its characters do not, in any way, belong to me.**

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Did he see Yuki as a challenge to be conquered? 

A sudden thought flashed across his mind? What if he too saw Rukawa as a challenge? After all, Rukawa seemed unattainable. No. It couldn't be. It's normal for him to date Yuki, one of the most sought-after girls in Kanagawa University but not Rukawa Kaede. Both of them were guys and should not be dating at all. In fact, it's unacceptable to be sexually disorientated in this conservative society and country. This fact made Sendoh even more sure of his feelings for Rukawa, he was willing to go against the norms of his society and risked being alienated just so he could be with him.

"So what you going do now? What do you think Rukawa would do and how would he react if he knows?  And what you planned to do with Yuki?" Koshino interrupted Sendoh's thoughts.

"I….I don't know, I really don't know." Sendoh spluttered, running a hand through his spiky hair.

For once, the ever so calm and confident Sendoh was lost. He had no idea what to do. He did not want to hurt Yuki and at the same time, he did not have the courage to let Rukawa know of his feelings. He was afraid that Rukawa may not feel the same way for him.

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Author's notes: This is just an introduction. Think the storyline is kinda obvious now ne? Pls read on!!

TBC


	2. Chapter One

**Dilemma - Chapter 1**

**Disclaimer: Slam Dunk and its characters do not, in any way, belong to me. (Obviously)**

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"Ring Ring………..Ring Ring……Ring" The incessant ringing of the alarm clock was halted by a strong muscular hand slamming on it.

Sendoh pried opened his eyes and looked around his room in a daze. Staring up at the ceiling, he blinked a few times before he remembered that today was a school day.

With that, he dragged himself out of bed and into the bathroom to get himself ready for the day.

At the end of his hot shower, Sendoh felt rejuvenated and had jolted completely out of his earlier slumber. Whistling, he wrapped a towel around his hips and stepped out into his adjoining room, revealing his broad shoulders and taut stomach muscles which are the envy of many guys and at the same time, the desire of many girls.

Opening his huge wardrobe filled with designer clothes, Sendoh scanned the neat rows of clothes briefly and in a matter of seconds, he had decided on a pair of blue jeans and a simple knitted pullover. He wasn't someone who was really particular about his dressing.

But one thing which he was very particular about was the way he did his hair. Looking into the mirror with one hand holding onto a comb and the other a tube of hair gel, he began to style his hair into his usual style. A gravity-defying, spiky hairdo which had long became a trademark of his.

Satisfied and convinced that his hairdo would last the entire day, Sendoh took his car keys from the bed-side table and headed out the door of his apartment. 

"Beep Beep" Sendoh unlocked his car door with his remote control and in big strides, he reached his convertible and got into the luxurious car. It was a black Porsche, a present from his parents when he passed his driving license just less than a year ago. 

Today was the start of the first day of  his second year in Kanagawa University and he was feeling more excited than usual because he knew that both Rukawa Kaede, his long-time rival cum basketball partner and Sakuragi Hanamichi, the self-proclaimed Tensai would be first years. And that would mean Kanagawa University's Basketball Team will be much stronger this year, given the skills these 2 players possessed. Besides, he was looking forward to playing along side Rukawa for the first time rather than against him, which had been the case for the past 2 years.

Zooming into the compound of his school in his black wheels, Sendoh attracted much attention, not that he could help it. He had always been the centre of attention and object of numerous girls' affection since he was in high school. Standing at 193cm with a physique anyone would die for, coupled with his charisma and a fatally charming smile. It's easy to see why girls were always literally throwing themselves at his feet.

Grabbing his sports bag containing his jersey and shorts, Sendoh took a deep breath and opened his car door, preparing to do what he did almost every morning. 

He ran. He ran all the way into the school's building without looking back behind him. 

"SENDOH!! SENDOH!!! Yah!!! He is so handsome!! Even more handsome than last year!!" Girls were running after him and screaming at the same time, begging him to stop.

Sendoh knew that he needed to be out of his mind in order to stop. The last time he did that, his hair was messed up and his shirt torn. He continued to run till the screams started to fade away before he began slowing down his steps. He turned around to make sure that he had lost his fans while still maintaining a slow jog.

WHAM!

"Baka!!" A female voice was heard.

"Ouch" groaned Sendoh, rubbing his chin. In his haste to get rid of his fans, he had rammed right into someone and injured his own chin. It was a pretty bad knock and his chin actually hurt so he figured out that the other party must be pretty hurt as well.

Looking up to see how the other party was, Sendoh was shocked to discover that the other person he had sent sprawling across the empty hallway was a girl. 

"Baka" She repeated, although slightly softer this time.

"Can't you see where you are going??" She asked accusingly without really waiting for an answer. With that, she picked herself up and started to gather her books which had fallen all over the hallway.

Sendoh's eyes widened at the rude albeit refreshing treatment coming from the girl. Recovering from his shock, he quickly moved to help pick up her remaining books and walked towards her.

"Gomenasai. I was trying to run away from someone…or rather some ones. Did I hurt you bad?" 

As if in answer, Sendoh upon nearing her, noticed a bad bruise on her left forehead. Not only that, he also noticed that the girl is quite a looker……no… in fact she was a real looker.

Realizing that the girl was still looking at him with daggers in her eyes, Sendoh flashed his most charming smile, hoping to ease the tension in the air.

"You new here? Never seen you before. Does your head hurt?" Sendoh asked while at the same time, handing her books over.

The girl doesn't seem at all impressed by Sendoh's smile which under normal circumstances would have sent girls into frenzy. With an icy stare, she just snatched her books from Sendoh and started to pick up her own sports bag.

_/Why does she seem to remind me of someone?/_

"My name is Sendoh Akira, I am a sophomore. What's your name"

She just walked past him.

***********

_/Just my luck to run into a muscled-pack himbo with a funny hairstyle./  _

She rubbed the bruise on her forehead and decided it wasn't going to go down anytime soon.

Sighing, she started to make her way to her designated classroom for her first day in Kanagawa University, attracting loads of admiring stares from guys and jealous glances from girls along her way.

Her cold green eyes scanned the hallway for room number L3-077. Her long black shiny hair was tied up in a ponytail, revealing her small sharp nose and high cheekbones. Her small pouty lips were pursed together when she failed to find any room coinciding with that found on her admission card. Standing at a slim frame of 170 cm, she was really hard to miss.

Her name was Yuki Hamasaki.

************

Leaning his bicycle against the stand and locking it, he slowly but surely made his way across the green grounds which were surrounded by palm trees, towards the building in graceful steps.

Pausing at the entrance of the huge building, he looked up from beneath his dark raven hair which was a direct contrast to his pale, flawless complexion. His sapphire blue eyes making sure that the sign board read 'Kanagawa University'. 

Satisfied with what he saw, he coolly swung his sports bag onto his broad shoulders and walked into the building.

The inside of the building was nothing like the outside. It was bustling with activities. Students were standing in groups chatting merrily with one and other. Standing in the middle of a crowded room, he looked so out of place. He took a glimpse around the room to see if there were any familiar faces but found none. Not that he cared to hang around with if he ever found one, but it would be nicer to see one or two familiar faces though. 

Taking out his admission card from his pockets, he looked for any information that might tell him where to go report on his first day of school. He was initially supposed to come to school together with Sendoh but he decided against it once Sendoh told him about the daily dose of 'warm reception' he got from his ever adoring fans. 

He too had his own share of fans back in high school but they never dared neared him cause he was too cold and unapproachable, unlike that Sendoh who always had a smile plastered on his face. 

His card had L3-080 written on it.

Figuring that it must be a room number on the 3rd level, he made his way towards the staircase. 

As he moved across the room, he could feel more and more pairs of eyes on him. 

A lanky frame at 189cm with features so beautiful it seemed unearthly. Striking blue eyes lined with long thick lashes resembled sapphire in terms of both colour and coldness. Black, silky hair that accentuated his pale, smooth and creamy skin. He had an aura of mystique around him which made him mesmerizing. He was really a sight to behold.

His extraordinary beauty was not lost on the crowd. Eyes of both guys and girls were transfixed onto him, followed by whispers of "Rukawa Kaede. He is the Shohoku High School's ace".

Apparently, though he did not recognize anyone in the crowd, most of them did recognize him during his days in Shohoku High.

Soon, nearly everyone was whispering his name.

He sighed faintly, dreading the unwanted attention he got so ever often. He was starting to feel that it wouldn't be an enjoyable day for him. But the thought of basketball practice later in the day managed to perk him up a bit.

************

Sendoh believed his luck was beginning to run out when he found himself in the same Biology class as 4 of his most aggressive stalking fans. Now he would not have a single peaceful Biology lesson for the next 6 months and to make things worse, there's always basketball practice every Monday after this Biology class. So in other words, he would always be late for practice on Monday cause there was no way his fans would let him go so easily. He was contemplating dropping this module.

Not that he was always early for practice, but being in the same class as his fanatic fans would make him turned up even later than usual for his practices.

And it was important that he would not be late for practice today as being the first practice, it's a time where they recruited new players and he did not want to miss a chance to make fun of Rukawa. 

He sighed at the thought of those impending lectures he knew that he would be getting from Akagi.

As expected, after his class ended, his fans swarmed around him immediately like bees to honey.

"Sendoh…are you free later today? We organizing a movie trip, wanna come?"

"Hmm…I would love to but I can't….got practice today, got to go." Hoping to brush them away by being nice.

But he had no such luck, they were not deterred and continued bugging him for the next 5 minutes.

"Sendoh-kun…." A gorgeous girl in cheerleader outfit called out from a distance.

"Julie!!" Sendoh smiled widely and started to wave frantically, knowing that his saviour was here.

Julie was a third year and the captain of the Cheerleading Team and had a bad reputation for being easy, sleeping around with different guys in the school, including those from the other schools. She had an obvious crush on Sendoh and had been hitting on him since last year but she never interest Sendoh at all in the slightest bit.

On normal occasions, Sendoh would have avoided her like plague too but right now, he's more glad to see her than anyone else. Having not only a bad reputation, she had a real bad temper to go along with it and most of the girls in the school are very much in fear of her.

Sashaying up to Sendoh, she gave his fans a glare which sent them scampering. Having got rid of them, she turned her full charm and attention towards her target.

"Sendoh-kun…you grown taller and more handsome than last year. You free tonight?" She cooed, placing her arm into his at the same time

"Julie, you looked great too, gorgeous as ever. But I can't make it tonight cause I….I got to…hmm…..fetch my parents from the airport. They are coming back for a holiday." 

Sendoh lied, praying that Julie would buy his story.

Seeing the skeptical look on her face, he decided she did not and knew that its time for him to scoot.

"Got practice now, got to run!! See ya!!" With that, Sendoh detached himself from her and bolted out the door and ran all the way to the changing room.

*******************

TBC


	3. Chapter Two

**Dilemma – Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer: Slam Dunk and its Characters do not, in any way, belong to me.**

***************

"Swoosh" The ball fell silently into the net without even touching the rims. It's a three-pointer.

Rukawa went over and picked up his ball, oblivious to all the swooning in the gym.

Akagi shook his head. One Sendoh was bad enough. Practically where ever they practiced, huge groups of girls would follow. Being also Rukawa's captain in High School, Akagi remembered how popular he was back then. And now that Rukawa was also in the team along with Sendoh, he shuddered at the thought of the combined potency of their attraction.

As if in answer to his fears, bouts of nervous giggles filled the gym.

"Hi! Good Afternoon!" Sendoh stood at the entrance of the gym and greeted his teammates with his usual trademark smile.

Upon hearing his only friend's voice, Rukawa turned in the direction of his voice and saw him standing at the entrance, smiling. It was a familiar scene.

His thoughts drifted fleetingly back to the first time he saw Sendoh. It was a practice match between Ryonan High and Shohoku High and Sendoh was in Ryonan back then. He was also late for that game. 

_/I guess some things never change./ _

Ignoring the giggles and swooning of his fans, Sendoh walked over to his teammates.

"Gomenasai…was held up by…hmm…some fans." Sendoh smiled sheepishly with one hand behind his head.

Akagi rolled his eyes at the given explanation. "As usual".

Sendoh grinned even wider when he realized that Akagi was not going to give him a lecture today. Over the past year, he had grown real fond of his captain. Akagi was much like his previous captain, Uozumi, but more focused and disciplined.

Sendoh turned his attention over to the new first years and all of them were staring at him in awe cause of his laid-back confidence and also the fact that he was the top 5 players in the country according to last year's ranking. Sendoh smiled encouraging at them and searched the new faces for a particular someone. 

His eyes stopped short at a familiar figure and flashing a genuine smile, he strode over to him.

"Ru….sorry, I got held up."

Rukawa nodded but said nothing. 

"Wanted to come in early and witness your inauguration as a new team member. Now, you better call me sempai."

Rukawa cocked his head to one side as if acknowledging the joke but still said nothing.

"Well, I didn't know both of you know each other so well." Maki interrupted, noticing the small friendly exchange. 

Maki was also now a third year student like Akagi in Kanagawa University. Co-captain of the basketball team. 

"Haha…Rukawa and I have been playing one-one together for a couple of months. He has really improved, Maki, you will be surprised." Sendoh gave the younger Rukawa a wink.

The rest of the new players turned to Rukawa and stared, surprised that he had actually played one-one with Sendoh, the team's current ace on a regular basis. Just how good was this guy, they wondered.

Suddenly, a loud but familiar voice boomed across the gym.

"Hello everyone, the Tensai is here!!" The red head announcing his entrance.

"Shut up." A handsome guy with hair that had a beautiful shade of blue scowled from behind, his hands holding onto a sports bag.

Another bout of giggles erupted from around the gym, although this time, the giggles were fewer and softer. Besides Sendoh, Mitsui Hisashi was also popular among the girls with his manly face and deep penetrating eyes. But then he always carried a scowl on his face which explained why he was never mobbed unlike Sendoh.

A loud 'thud' echoed through the gym.

Akagi had given Sakuragi the 'Gori punch' on his head for being so late. Mitsui stared at Akagi, daring him to do the same to him.

"It's not fair!! Gori! Mitsui is just as late as me!" Sakuragi wailed, clearly incensed by the smirk look Mitsui was giving him.

Sendoh looked on incredulously. Sakuragi was still the same as he last saw him about a year ago. Secretly, he wondered why Akagi never ever tried his 'Gori punch' on him even though he's always late. But then he wished he never would.

Rukawa having seen this commotion numerous times during his high school days, just shrugged his shoulders and muttered, "D'aho."

"Nani!! How dare you call me that!" Sakuragi rushed forward, trying to pick a fight with Rukawa.

Both of them had been enemies since they first saw each other in High School. Sakuragi was in love with a girl named Haruko, also Akagi's sister, who happened to have a crush on Rukawa. But however, Sakuragi managed to win over Haruko's heart last year, much to the dismay of Akagi. From then on, things were much better between him and Rukawa.

Sendoh chuckled at the sight of the 2 younger boys who were still bickering. Other than himself, the other person Rukawa talked to the most got to be Sakuragi.

Their attention was averted to the other side of the gym where loud whistles and claps were coming from. Turning towards the source of the noise, they saw that a volleyball practice was underway.

Besides being strong in basket ball, Kanagawa University was also extremely strong in the girls' volleyball. Last year, they were second in the country, losing only to Shoyo University in the finals.

The loudest cheers were reserved for this particular girl in the team. She had long black, shiny hair held up in a ponytail. Her movements were graceful and agile at the same time. Though cheers erupted each time she touched the ball, she seemed oblivious to the distraction and remained fiercely focused.

_/It's that girl. The girl I rammed into earlier in the morning. Hmm…She is pretty good despite the bruise I gave her./_

Sendoh mused, having seen enough volleyball games to acknowledge her skills.

A thunderous clap from Akagi brought everyone's attention, including Sendoh's back to their own practice.

"This year, we have a real chance of being national champions with the joining of several new members", giving Rukawa a glance and also Sakuragi, albeit it's a grudging one.

"Last year, as you all know, we lost to the eventual champions, Tokyo University in the semi-finals. This year, we got to beat them and also Shoyo University in order to become national champions. Last year, Shoyo managed to pull through into the finals, even though high scorer Soichiro Jin was out with injury throughout the entire competition. This shows that with just Fujima Kenji, Toru and company, they are hard to beat. Besides, Kainan's Kiyota will be joining them this year so they are a force to be reckoned with." 

"That wild monkey….I will beat him." Despite Sakuragi's loud exclamation, nobody paid heed to what he said.

"OK, now let's split into two groups and have a game match." 

With that, they were split into two groups of five and the only new comers that were selected were Rukawa and Sakuragi. Sendoh, Maki, Mitsui and another two players named Ishi and Noma were in one group while Akagi, Rukawa, Sakuragi and another two players named Aniki and Nakata were in another group.

With a blow of the whistle, an intensive match was underway.

Akagi managed to tip the ball during a jump start against Sendoh and Nakata got hold of the ball. He looked around the court for someone to pass the ball to and sported Rukawa running clear. He faked to his right before passing out the ball to Rukawa on his left, without even looking in that direction.

But Sendoh had anticipated that pass and intercepted it beautifully, making a steal. The crowd screamed as if knowing something spectacular would happen. 

Sakuragi ran up to guard Sendoh but was beaten to it by a glaring pale boy who wasn't exactly pleased that his pass was intercepted.

"Kitsune!! I want to guard Sendoh. With your skills, you will never be able to stop him!"

"Shut up!" I will be guarding you, Sakuragi. Let's see how much you have improved." Mitsui said in a taunting manner, mocking him.

"Nani!! How dare you mock at me? I will make you eat your words." Sakuragi was clearly fired up too.

"Looks like we are fated to play against each other, Ru, even though we are on the same team now." Sendoh smiled, thinking back to the first time he played against Rukawa, how he was impressed by his skills and his cool demeanor. 

Rukawa looked back at those blue eyes which very much resembled his own except that they reflected warmth instead of coldness. "Let's get it on." 

"You ready, here I go!" 

With that, Sendoh using his strength, forcefully dribbled his way against Rukawa into the area. With his back facing Rukawa, he faked to his right pretending to attempt a shot but he suddenly sent out a left pass onto the outside of the circle to Mitsui who had now eluded Sakuragi. Mitsui got hold of the ball and shot a 3-pointer, but Sakuragi reappeared and managed to get a touch at the ball.

The ball lost its perfect balance and rebounded off the rim. 

At this moment, a strong muscular hand chose to reach out and slammed the ball into the basket. Although it was a one-handed dunk, the impact of the slam was so great that the rim was still reverberating even after Sendoh had landed on the ground. 

There was silence and then screams and shouts of 'Sendoh' followed.

Sendoh smiled at the younger Rukawa, slightly amused at the icy cold glare he got in return.

************

Yuki looked up from the bag which she was packing her stuff into, towards where the cheers of anticipation were coming from. She looked up just in time to see a player sending out a perfect pass onto his teammate to attempt a shot, only for it to be tap by a funny redhead. The next thing she knew, the earlier guy who had sent out the pass had done a spectacular one-handed dunk.

Yuki was momentarily stunned by that display of power. Deafening cheers then erupted from around the gym.

_/Well…that was something. That guy's not bad/_

Noticing that most of the screaming spectators were girls. Yuki took a closer look at the guy who was by now smiling at his teammate. 

_/That smile….seems so familiar. And that hairstyle…/_

Yuki's eyes widened at the recognition. He was the guy who rammed into her this morning and caused her to develop a huge lump on her forehead.

_/It's that baka./_

"Hey, Yuki, what you looking at? Ready to go?" A voice from behind her interrupted her thoughts.

Yuki quickly turned around and nodded.

"Who you looking at so intently?" Her friend peered over her shoulders. 

"Ohh…Sendoh Akira. He is the ace player of the Basketball team and also happens to be one of the most sought after guy in the school…hmmm…no…make it the prefecture. Don't tell me you also got a crush on him?" Her friend asked in a surprised manner. 

Yuki was known as the Ice Queen. It would really be shocking if she ever took interest in any guys. 

_*Flashback*_

"My name is Sendoh Akira, I am a sophomore. What's your name?"

_*End of Flashback*_

"No. He knocked into me this morning and gave me this bruise." Yuki said as a matter-of-factly, pointing to her bruise at the same time.

"Ohh…he is the baka you mentioned earlier." 

"Yup" With that, Yuki picked up her sports bag and left the gym, with her friend in tow.

******************

TBC


	4. Chapter Three

**Dilemma – Chapter 3**

**Disclaimer: Slam Dunk and its characters do not, in any way, belong to me.**

**************

The game ended at 101-97, favouring Maki's side.

Sakuragi was making lots of noise as usual and along the way, he earned himself another 'Gori punch' from Akagi. Akagi then shouted at him to get ready faster so that they could get back to his home. Akagi's parents had invited Sakuragi over for dinner and Haruko was already at home waiting for them. Being reminded of that, Sakuragi got himself ready in 2 minutes flat, including showering.

With a blue towel wrapped around his slim waist, Rukawa stepped out of the shower and ran a hand over his hair like the way he always did. But because his hair had yet to dry, his usual unruly albeit silky hair was pushed back from his face and a pair of striking blue eyes was revealed in full sight. His eyes were deep and yet unfathomable, any emotions were well-concealed under a cold surface. Water trickled down from his beautifully sculptured face to his body, leaving a soft trace on his perfect, lean body wrapped in flawless skin before evaporating into the air.

He was still fuming over the way they had lost the match. Sendoh had managed to elude him quite a number of times today and it annoyed him like hell. As much as he disliked losing, he enjoyed playing against Sendoh. Sendoh's superior skills and intelligent way of playing served as a constant push for him to improve.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Rukawa found himself staring at the ever smiling Sendoh. 

Sometimes Rukawa wondered what made Sendoh smiled like that all the time? Wouldn't he get tired from all that smiling?

Sendoh too had just gotten out of the shower and his wet hair was covering his chiseled face, his golden body glistening under the lights, enhancing the contours of his well-toned muscles. 

Looking at Sendoh, Rukawa wondered why he always jelled his hair up like a porcupine, he looked better without the spiky hairdo. But then that hair style had been there since the first time he saw him. And knowing Sendoh, most probably he kept that hair style because he wanted to be different.

Even though both of them had been hanging around pretty often for the past couple of months. Today was one of those rare instances where Sendoh could look fully into Rukawa's eyes without his black bangs getting into the way. Though both of them had the same similar sapphire blue eyes, the mystifying eyes of Rukawa never ceased to amaze Sendoh. His eyes seemed cold and yet at the same time, there seemed to be an abundance of emotions waiting to be unlocked. And with his hair out of the way, the mesmerizing magic in his eyes was all the more captivating.

Realizing that he was still staring into his eyes, Sendoh turned his gaze away, slightly embarrassed at his own actions.

Just then, a small growl escaped from his stomach. Remembering that both of them had not had dinner, Sendoh turned to ask.

"Ru……..I am hungry. Want to go for dinner together?" 

Realizing that he too, was hungry and that he had finished all the food in his fridge yesterday night. Rukawa nodded and started to get dressed.

Anxious to satisfy his growling stomach fast, Sendoh quickly got dressed, styled his hair back to his typical spiky hairdo and threw his towel and sweat-drenched jersey into his sports bag. 

"I go get my car first, I will wait for you at the school gates, k?" It was more a statement than a question. 

Slinging his bag over his shoulders, Sendoh smiled at the younger boy before walking out the changing room.

*************

Rukawa watched Sendoh leave the room in silence.

His thoughts drifted back to the early days when they started hanging out together. Initially, the only reason he came into contact with Sendoh was because of basketball but as time passed, he found himself accepting Sendoh's invitation for other non-basketball activities as well. Now, aside from playing basketball, they also often dined and shopped together. Sometimes, they would even just laze around, doing nothing in particular but just enjoying each other's company.

As much as Rukawa hated to admit, he truly enjoyed and looked forward to Sendoh's company. His ever-smiling face and outspoken personality which were a direct contrast to his own seemed to make his world more colourful and tolerable. His companionship was a refreshing change to the solitary lifestyle he used to lead.

But as to why Sendoh chose to hang out with him remained a baffling mystery to him. Sendoh was out-going and very popular, in fact he was immensely popular. Males and females all flocked to him like bees to honey, all eager to play a part in his life. But yet Sendoh opted to hang around with a boring, dead and quiet guy like him. It was indeed hard to comprehend. 

Shaking his head, as if to get rid of his current thoughts, Rukawa picked up his neatly-packed Nike bag and headed out the room.

Then sun was already setting when he stepped out of the building, colouring the clear sky in deep red. The environment was peaceful and serene without the morning crowd of students, the serendipity occasionally broken only by the sounds of retreating birds flying in the sky. Making his way across the school grounds to collect his bicycle, Rukawa could not help but to look up into the sky, taking in beauty of the sight and storing it in memory. A gentle wind started to blow, rustling the fallen leaves on the floor and the trees swayed in harmony. Rukawa closed his eyes against the caress of the wind and indulged himself in the simple pleasures in life.

**************

Coming out from the school, Sendoh was relieved to see that the compound was empty and strode over to his car. Unlocking his car using his remote control, he dumped his bag into the back seat and got himself into the driving seat. Knowing that Rukawa had ridden to school today, he opened the top of his convertible so that Rukawa can leave his bicycle in the back seat.

Going for dinner with Rukawa after their personal one-one practices was a common routine for them. But with Rukawa being in the same school as him now, dinners together would become much more frequent and Sendoh was glad. After his best friend, Koshino left for Shoyo University, Sendoh had spent much of his time alone. Though he knew many people, there was none that he regarded as more than acquaintances or teammates till Rukawa came along.

Over the last few months, he had grown increasingly fond of the younger boy. Through playing with Rukawa, he realized what determination and ambition were all about. Rukawa's ambition is to be the Number One player in Japan and then to pursue a career in America after he graduated, Sendoh had never seen anyone as single-minded and determined as him in achieving his dream and at times like those, he felt guilty for his care-free outlook in life. The hard work Rukawa put in towards realizing his dream was an inspiration to him and he respected Rukawa for that. 

Driving his car to the school gates, he saw Rukawa waiting for him in the distance, with his bicycle at his side.

Stopping his car in front of Rukawa, Sendoh pushed opened the passenger door while Rukawa heaved his bicycle onto the back seat. He then slid himself onto the front passenger seat.

"Let's eat at Pop's?"

Rukawa paused for a moment before nodding. 

**************

Night had fallen by the time they reached Pop's Café. It was a small cozy American restaurant by the roadside. Pulling his black Porsche at the walkway amidst the humble surroundings, much attention was drawn to them. People strolling on the walkway could not help but stare at the luxurious wheels and the two occupants in it.

This was also one of the reasons Rukawa hated riding in Sendoh's car, it attracted too much unnecessary attention.

"You should consider changing your car to something more ordinary, it would make your life easier." Rukawa suggested stoically as he got out of the car and closed the door, waiting by the sidewalk for Sendoh with his hands tucked in the pockets. 

Sendoh laughed upon hearing Rukawa's suggestion, earning himself a trademark glare from the younger boy. He knew Rukawa hated unwanted attention and his car was indeed eye-catching. His flashy car was another reason why girls flirted with him shamelessly, especially the older ones.

"Well, it was after all a present from my parents. You can't expect me to reject them right?" Sendoh locked his car and walked over to join Rukawa at the sideway and both of them made their way into the restaurant.

"Good evening" A lady greeted them from behind the counter, her eyes visibly lighting up at the sight of her two gorgeous regular customers. Because of their presence, her female customers had doubled.

"Good evening, Obasan. How's business today?" Sendoh returned her greetings along with a generous smile.

Rukawa just nodded in acknowledgement. He was used to letting Sendoh do all the small talk.

"Been busy the entire day, running around. Will be hiring a new help soon." The lady boss complained good-heartedly while leading them to their favourite booth seats, which was situated at the corner of the restaurant beside the window overlooking the streets outside, away from prying eyes.

"So what would both of you like for dinner today?" The lady boss asked as both of them slid into their respective seats opposite each other.

"Hmm..…well……What would you like, Ru?" Sendoh looked to Rukawa as he could not decide at the moment. 

"The usual." Rukawa paused for a while before replying.

"Okie, me too. So Obasan, it will be two Jumbo Meals please. Thank you." Sendoh instinctively knew what 'the usual' meant.

"No problem. Coming right up, boys. In the meantime, please do not give my female customers any heart attacks, especially you." The lady boss teased, reserving the last bit of her sentence for Sendoh.

Sendoh grinned mischievously but said nothing and the lady boss left them at that.

Rukawa looked out the window. The lamps along the street cast a soft yellow light on its surroundings, making everything that were caught under looked so mellow and subtle. What Rukawa loved about this particular seat other than its privacy was that he could look at the world passed by him without them being aware of his presence, it was like looking at a silent moving picture, with the sounds muffled by the thick window glass. The picture framed by the window now was relatively still, occasionally punctuated by people strolling down the streets. Across the other side of the street, something caught Rukawa's eyes. 

A family of three was coming out of a toyshop. A little boy with rosy cheeks was holding onto a hero figurine on one hand while his other hand was clinging onto his mother's. The little boy's father was walking beside his wife and had his arms around her shoulders. It was a simple scene of family bliss. 

Rukawa suddenly felt alone and lost.

As if reading his thoughts, Sendoh asked softly "Ru…will you be visiting your father this year end?"

"No." Rukawa answered curtly, hoping his reply would stop Sendoh from poaching the subject further.

Sendoh, although slightly shocked at the harsh tone, caught the hint and decided not to press further.

Sendoh knew that Rukawa lost his mother at a very young age and his relationship with his father had been strained ever since then. His father had left him in the care of a nanny and left for London to work when he was only twelve years old. In the initial years, his father would come back a few times a year to check on him. But as the years passed, the visits became less and less frequent and eventually dwindled down to zero. Right now, all his father did to fulfill his duty as a parent was to send a generous sum of monthly allowance to keep him fed, clothed and educated. The money was only enough to cover material needs, not the emotional needs in which Rukawa so badly needed. Though Rukawa never exactly told Sendoh his feelings, Sendoh was perspective enough to know how he really felt. 

He knew Rukawa felt betrayed and abandoned. 

"Boys, here are your food. Now, enjoy your dinner while I busy myself with the other customers." The lady boss had arrived with their food.

Taking this chance to disperse the tension, Sendoh tried to get Rukawa out of his present depression by bringing their attention to the food.

"Wow, this smells great! I am absolutely famished." Sendoh bit into his Jumbo-sized hotdog and started chewing, hoping his sudden enthusiasm in food would rub onto Rukawa and made him forget his earlier thoughts.

But Rukawa was clearly still affected by the earlier question when he only picked at his own hotdog, despite being hungry.

Worried that Rukawa might end up neglecting his dinner, Sendoh came up with an idea.

"Ru…....I have a challenge for you. You up for it?

Rukawa looked up at the mention of 'a challenge'. 

_//This guy's really into nothing but challenges.__//_

"Okie, it's more of an intellectual question. You ready?"

Rukawa's eyes widened slightly at the unexpected challenge and nodded. As long as it was a challenge, he was gamed for it.

"Okie. As you know, Doraemon wins nearly every challenge posed to him by using gadgets taken out from his front pocket to help him. But there is this particular game that you can challenge him, knowing you will surely come out as the victor. What game is it?"

"Basketball. He is short." Rukawa gave his answer immediately.

"No!" Sendoh laughed and rolled his eyes, amazed at how everything in the younger boy's life seemed to revolve around basketball. He wondered if that was all Rukawa ever had in his mind. Basketball seemed to form the core of his brain.

_//How would I know? There are so many possible answers.//_

"There is only one game in which you will definitely be the winner" Sendoh repeated, as if reading his thoughts.

Rukawa frowned slightly, thinking hard. He did not want to give up so easily, it was never his style.

Sendoh snickered at the clueless face in front of him. Rukawa looked extremely adorable like this, with his face in a slight frown but without the usual coldness. He looked like a small kid thinking hard at a tough question.

"Give up?" Sendoh couldn't help but smirked at the younger boy.

Reluctantly, Rukawa nodded. He knew he was not getting anywhere near the answer.

"Hahaa…..It's the game 'Scissors, Paper, Stone'! Because Doraemon has no fingers and so his hands are round and resembled 'Stone'. So all u have to do to win is to show 'Paper' all the time and then you will win!" 

Sendoh couldn't help but laughed hysterically when he tried to envision Rukawa and Doraemon playing the game. A fox and a doraemon.

Rukawa looked at the laughing boy in front of him and a small smile crept into his face.

"That was a stupid question."

"And you are dumb enough not to know the answer, you even said basketball!"

This time, Sendoh really laughed, finding the whole thing hilarious.

A handful of fries flew across the table and landed on Sendoh.

"H….Hey....do…..don't waste food!" Sendoh chided while trying to muffle his laughs. He put a couple into his mouth and placed the rest on a napkin on the table.

"Only a guy with your intelligence level can come up with such a 'smart' question." 

Rukawa hit back sarcastically but he was still smiling. He liked the joke.

Sendoh loved making the younger boy happy and watching him smile. It could be just a twitch at the corners of his lips for all he cared. As long as it was some indication of a smile, Sendoh would be elated. 

It was instances like these when the barricades in those cold eyes were let down and looking into those eyes so similar to his, Sendoh could feel himself drowning in the depths of emotion.

"Stop staring at me." Rukawa was starting to feel uneasy under the intense scrutiny and began to dig into his hotdog, his appetite returning.

"Ohh……I was just thinking how good and different you looked when you smile." Sendoh was slightly embarrassed and too, began attacking his food.

Suddenly remembering something, Sendoh spoke between bites of food.

"It's time to go grocery-shopping, I bet you had already finished all your food, right?"

Rukawa nodded.

He was amazed at the pin-point accuracy Sendoh would choose to go grocery-shopping every time. It was as if Sendoh kept a mental dairy on when he would finish his last bit of food. And he liked that feeling.

"Okie, let's finish our food quickly so that we have enough time to get the stuff."

With that, both of them finished the rest of their dinner in companionable silence.

**************

"Bye, Obasan!" Sendoh called out as he closed the restaurant door behind him.

The nearest supermarket was just down further down the street and having just devoured a Jumbo Meal, along with half of Rukawa's fries and the last quarter of his hotdog, Sendoh was glad that they were walking there. He needed to digest all the food inside him.

"Ru….you want to lock your bike?" Sendoh was worried that someone might steal his bicycle.

Lazy to get his bicycle lock from his bag which was in Sendoh's car, he shook his head.

"Who will take notice of the bike when it's in your PORSCHE?"

"Well, at least my car is insured." Sendoh said, laughing at the sarcasm in Rukawa's voice.

Rukawa shook his head once again and started walking down the street, towards the supermarket.

Slipping his hands into the pockets of his track pants, Sendoh followed behind Rukawa and soon fell into steps with the younger boy. He knew that once Rukawa made up his mind, nothing could change it.

They walked side by side in silence all the way to the supermarket, attracting loads of admiring stares along the way. It was hard not to notice them. Both were exceptionally tall and handsome. 

Reaching the supermarket, Sendoh went over to the corner and grabbed a shopping cart. Pushing his way through the crowd, he made his way towards Rukawa who was browsing through magazines near the entrance.

"Let's go get the basics first, shall we?" 

Rukawa nodded and walked alongside Sendoh, placing one hand on the cart. 

They got the basic necessities such as bread, eggs and milk first after which they started to shop around the supermarket, getting whatever they felt that they would need.

Throughout the shopping trip, Sendoh would push the shopping cart with both hands on the handle while Rukawa would walk slightly up front with one hand on the cart, giving it direction. Every now and then, Sendoh would be gesturing at certain items and Rukawa would help him get the items from the shelves while the older boy stayed at the cart. Occasionally, they would bicker over which brands of certain food were better.

By the end their shopping trip, the trolley was filled to the brim with all sorts of food stuff, ranging from basic necessities to junk food such as chocolates and chips. 

Satisfied that they had got most of their stuff, both of them made their way to the cashiers, queuing behind the shortest line. 

When it was finally their turn to pay, the female cashier behind the counter kept blushing and making mistakes, so they took a longer time than the other customers would prefer. The cashier was obviously stunned by the two gorgeous hunks and it did not help that Sendoh was constantly smiling at her.

The total of the groceries came up to 11,512 yen.

"I will pay this time. You paid the last time, remember?" Sendoh said to Rukawa as he shoved the money to the cashier who was by now as red as a beetroot.

The last thing Rukawa wanted at that moment was to stay any longer at the counter, even a few more seconds in front of the blushing cashier was hard to bear. So he just nodded and started picking up his own bags of groceries.

Sendoh collected his change from the still love-struck girl and picked up his own bags of groceries and walked out the supermarket behind Rukawa.

"Ru…why don't wait for me here while I go get my car. It's kinda heavy to lug them all the way back."

Rukawa nodded. He was beginning to feel tired and certainly don't look forward to carrying the bags up the street.

"Ok, will be here in five minutes. In the meantime, please do look after the stuff and DON'T fall asleep." Sendoh had been together with Rukawa long enough to know of his sleeping habit.

Without waiting for any response from the younger boy, he turned and started jogging up the street.

Leaning against the wall with the groceries beside him, Rukawa stared into space, thinking about nothing in particular. He was starting to get sleepy.

"Kitsune! What are you doing here?"

Rukawa jolted out his sleepiness upon hearing the familiar voice. He turned in the direction of the voice and saw Sakuragi and Youhei walking his way.

"Hi…….Rukawa. Haven't seen you in a while. How have you been?" Youhei asked.

"Ok" 

Rukawa liked Youhei much better than Sakuragi. Unlike that redhead, Youhei was much more sensible and cool-headed and had always been a great pal to Sakuragi, even though that redhead was a complete idiot at times. Although Sakurgi was short-changed in terms of character and intelligence, he was blessed with great friends like Youhei and the rest of the guntam.

_//Well, I guess God is fair.//_

"Kitsune, who are you waiting for? Wow! So much grocery! I didn't know you eat at all!" Sakuragi laughed. 

"D'aho."

"Nani!! You want a…….."

"Sakuragi and Youhei!! What a coincidence!" Sendoh interrupted just in time to prevent a possible fight from erupting between the two.

"Sendoh? You are with kitsune? Since when have you all been best of friends?" Sakuragi was genuinely surprised to think that Rukawa actually socialized and of all people, Sendoh, the guy whom that fox had been rivals with since high school.

"Yeah, we just had dinner together and did some shopping." Sendoh replied casually as he started picking up the bags.

"Got to go. See you in school tomorrow, Sakuragi! And nice seeing you again, Youhei!"

With that, both Sendoh and Rukawa left the puzzling pair behind and walked towards Sendoh's car which had been parked across the street. Placing their groceries in the back seat, both of them got into the car. 

Waving goodbye to the two figures still staring at them, Sendoh drove off.

"Wow! Cool car!! I didn't know Sendoh was that rich! Damn!! That kid has got everything………. looks, fame, talent and money." Youhei looked on unbelievably.

"Hahaa…….but he is not a Tensai!"

Youhei just rolled his eyes, thinking that sometimes ignorance was indeed bliss.

****************

Sendoh pulled up in front of Rukawa's house and helped him heaved his bicycle out of the car and into his garden while Rukawa carried his bag and the groceries.

"Tomorrow has got no practice, how about a game of one-one at the usual place? I meet you at the school gate at around 1pm?" 

The 'usual place' referring to the basketball court just a few blocks away from Rukawa's house.

"I am finishing class at 11am. I will meet you directly at the court." Rukawa mumbled sleepily.

"Sure. Have a good night's rest, you looked really tired." Sendoh said as he got into his car. He was visibly concerned.

"Yeah. You too." 

"Ok, see you tomorrow." Sendoh gave the younger boy one last smile before he drove off into the night.

*****************

TBC


	5. Chapter Four

**Dilemma - Chapter 4**

**Disclaimer: Slam Dunk and its characters do not, in any way, belong to me. **

*****************

Swinging his Nike bag over his shoulders, Rukawa sauntered into the classroom with his other hand tucked warmly into his pocket.

The room was empty except for a couple of girls who were gossiping among themselves but his entrance managed to make them drop whatever conversation they were having.

Ignoring the blushing girls as usual, Rukawa allowed his sapphire eyes to roam across the room for a split second before he gracefully made his way over to a seat beside the window at the back of the room. Placing his nearly-empty bag on the table, Rukawa sat himself down and took a glance at his watch. He was early by 10mins. He never liked being late, unlike someone he knew. He had always hated the additional attention he got whenever he walked into a class late. The two girls in the room were now talking louder than before, throwing glances every now and then towards his direction. But the young man paid no heed and looked out the window, hoping to drown out their shrill voices.

It was a beautiful day. The sky was fully lined with white, fluffy clouds and the bright rays of the morning sun seeped through them, casting a warm glow onto the garden. Birds were flying high in the sky, from tree to tree, their little voices tittering as they flew, as if beckoning the start of a new day. The school garden was empty and peaceful, with only stretches of greenery in view. A light wind started to blow, swaying the branches of the tall trees. Rukawa closed his eyes and allowed the wind to sweep his silky black bangs out of his flawless face. He opened his eyes lazily after some time and looked up into the sky and saw that the wind had shaped the white clouds into that resembling a horse. 

As a child, he had always enjoyed looking up into the sky on a windy day, fascinating himself as he watched the clouds formed themselves into numerous shapes. He remembered how his parents would bring him out into the garden and watched the clouds with him. Life back then was simple and blissful. Hence, watching the clouds somehow served as a feeble attempt by him to hold onto those memories and feelings which seemed so distant and out of reach now………

He had no idea how long exactly had he been staring out the window but it must had been pretty long because the next thing he knew, the class room was fully seated and every single pair of eyes was on him.

He had been so engrossed in his thoughts that he did not noticed his history sensei had long entered the class and was now looking straight at him as if waiting for something. 

Figuring that the young man must had missed her question, the sensei repeated with a small smile although she was slightly irritated by his lack of attention. "It's your turn to introduce yourself now. Maybe you like to start with your name and which high school you came from and any hobbies that you might have."

Nodding, Rukawa pushed his chair back and pulled himself to his full height, causing his raven black hair to fall forward, half obscuring his striking blue eyes. Ignoring all the stares, he looked straight in front at the lady teacher and spoke in his deep, monotonous voice.

"My name is Rukawa Kaede. I am from Shohoku High School and I like playing basketball." His introduction was short and crisp.

Those girls who previously managed to keep their cool at the sight of the dashing young man immediately found themselves melting upon hearing his voice. His voice was deep and smooth, the monotony of his voice only served in adding a mysterious edge to it. His alluring voice, together with his outstanding appearance and cool demeanor was simply irresistible.

"Well, I presume you must be in the Varsity Basketball Team then, given your height." The lady sensei smiled, noticing the excitement this young man had managed to stir up.

"Hai" Rukawa nodded slightly.

Collective gasps erupted from around the room, followed by "He is also from the basketball team, same as Mitsui-sempai and Sendoh-sempai." 

Unknown to him, basketball is the most popular and supported sport in the varsity because of their yearly achievements and selection into the team was strict. Being recruited into the team as an actual member put one in a higher league than others.

Anxious to prevent the class from being overly-excited, the lady sensei tried to divert their attention. "Ok, next student please." She said as she motioned for Rukawa to take his seat while at the same time, pointing to a bespectacled boy sitting at a table next to him.

Taking a slight bow as a form of courtesy, Rukawa took his seat and sighed inaudibly. He could not understand what all the fuss was about. The boy next to him was now introducing himself and the earlier excitement in the class was beginning to wane. Not seeing the need to acquaint himself with his classmates, Rukawa chose to look out the window again. 

The mention of Sendoh earlier reminded him of their one-one practice later in the afternoon and Rukawa's heart instantly felt lighter. He had always looked forward to these sessions with the older boy where they could peacefully play some solid basketball. Glancing at his watch, Rukawa sighed softly again. He realized it was going to be a long while before he could see Sendoh.

********************

"Sendoh Akira!" The patience of the sensei finally snapped after twenty minutes of tolerance.

Gulping back his laughs and trying his best to keep a straight face, Sendoh flashed his sensei one of killer smiles before coolly replying, "Yes?"

Sendoh was in the middle of his economic class. Being the last class of the day, he was getting restless and bored and had been talking to Ishi, his teammate, for the past twenty minutes. However, his sudden laughter in class at a joke by Ishi was the last straw for his sensei.

Further incensed by his indifference, the sensei tried to cool herself by taking a huge breath before drawling dangerously, "Maybe you like to share the joke with the class OR solve this question using the Lagrangian method." Her eyes shifted over to the economic question on the whiteboard while one of her hand was outstretched with a black marker in it. 

Looking at the way she held out her marker, as if summoning him to go up, Sendoh knew that she wasn't really giving him a choice. Deciding not to piss his teacher further by choosing to go with the joke, he casually stood himself up from his chair and strode over to the whiteboard.

Smiling while retrieving the marker from her hands, Sendoh looked up at the question poised before him and paused, twirling the marker with his fingers at the same time. After a few seconds of thought, he began to write his answers on the whiteboard, his smile never once left his chiseled face.

After less than three minutes, he had managed to cover three-quarters of the whiteboard with the correct answers. 

The rest of the class was impressed, so was the sensei. She knew that Sendoh was an intelligent boy and had a track of excellent academic records but to solve the question in such a short time was indeed remarkable. Looking at the grinning boy standing in front of her, she found her anger dissipating. 

_//It's hard to stay angry with this young man.//_

"Ok. Now get back to your seat and stop disturbing the class with your constant yakking." The sensei chided and dismissed him with a wave of her hand.

"Hai. Gomenasai, sensei." Sendoh grinned even wider, glad that he had been let off the hook.

Walking to the back of the room, Sendoh was greeted by a 'Thumbs-up' from Ishi in which he coolly gave one back, along with a playful wink before settling down into his seat.

*******************

"Bye!!" Sendoh called out to Ishi and a few others from his earlier class before he turned and made his way down the hallway. 

It was the end of the day for him and he was to have a one-one session with Rukawa in the afternoon. But the rumbling from his stomach suggested that he had better get something from the cafeteria before heading down to the usual basketball court for he knew it was going to be a strenuous match, it always was.

Humming softly to himself, Sendoh slipped his hands into his pockets and turned right into another hallway which led to the cafeteria.

_//Wonder if that boy has had his lunch? He always…..//_

His thoughts were interrupted by an irritated female voice. He turned towards the source and saw the Soccer Team's captain talking to a familiar girl, who was carrying a volleyball under her arms. They were standing a good few metres away from him.

_//It's that volleyball girl from yesterday.//_

Sensing something interesting was about to happen, Sendoh paused in his tracks, wanting to witness whatever was coming. After all, he never did like the soccer captain much. He was too conceited and pushy.

"No. I am not free." The girl answered flatly, her beautiful face carrying a hint of annoyance. She was about to turn and leave but the guy who was clearly asking her out stopped her in her tracks by blocking her path.

"Why not?" The soccer captain demanded, not exactly pleased that he was being rejected straight in the face.

Yuki's face changed from one with a hint of annoyance to one which was fully lined with anger. She was appalled and furious at the audacity of the guy but before she could say or do anything, a deep smooth voice came from behind her.

"So here you are, been looking all over for you. It's time to go for lunch."

Startled, Yuki turned and saw a handsome tall man walking towards them with both his hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket, his blue eyes looking straight into hers.

_//It's that baka. Is he talking to me?//_

As if reading her thoughts, Sendoh smiled and nodded. Upon reaching them, he looked at Yuki and totally disregarded the soccer captain before he continued "Went to your class but they said that you had already left."

Yuki was stunned for words. //_Just what does this guy thinks he is doing?//_

Recovering from his shock, the soccer captain asked in an incredulous tone "You are dating Sendoh?"

Turning his head to face the soccer captain, Sendoh feigned surprise as if he had just noticed his presence for the first time.

"Gomen…….did not notice that you were having a conversation. Oh, by the way……..do I know you?" Sendoh asked innocently.

That did the trick. The soccer captain had just openly admitted that he knew the great Sendoh Akira but the acknowledgement was not mutual. He was indirectly insulted and his ego took a blow. He mumbled something incoherent before he abruptly turned and left, leaving Yuki and Sendoh behind.

"Why did you do that?" Yuki shot him a glare, although she was grateful for the interference.

"Well, it's the least that I can do for you after the bruise I gave you yesterday. And honestly, I can't stand that guy." 

Yuki's eyes softened at the harmless response and mumbled a soft 'thank you' before she turned and head in the direction heading towards the cafeteria.

"Hey, where are you heading for?" Sendoh asked as he caught up and fell into steps with her. He had not expected her to leave so suddenly.

"Cafeteria" came the cold reply.

"Same here! We can lunch together then!" Sendoh suggested cheerfully, choosing to ignore the coldness of that earlier reply and the current glare he was receiving from the girl at the moment. After all, he was used to such cold behavior.

*****************                                                                                                                                              

"One Katsu-don please." Yuki frostily placed her order and ignored Sendoh who was standing behind her. He had been following her despite her obvious attempts to exclude him from her lunch.

"Make it two" Sendoh casually ordered his together with Yuki's as he placed a 1000 yen bill on the counter, before adding "I will pay for the meals this time."

Yuki turned and gave Sendoh one of her iciest stares which read 'back off' but Sendoh just returned the stare with one of his trademark smiles. They continued looking at each other in that manner. A cold glare against a warm smile. 

_//This guy is so infuriating!//_

Yuki was so concentrated in glaring at Sendoh that she did not noticed that their orders were ready until Sendoh broke their gaze and gently bent over her shoulders to collect the two bento boxes. 

"Let's not argue here ne? We will be holding up the queue." Sendoh said as he jabbed a thumb behind him, emphasizing his point. 

Yuki looked over his shoulders and saw that there was indeed a long queue. Not only that, she realized that most of the surrounding people in the cafeteria were staring at them.

After collecting his change, Sendoh gently nudged her out of the queue and led her by her elbow across the cafeteria towards the garden, attracting lots of surprised stares along the way. Everyone in the cafeteria was clearly shocked that Sendoh was actually eating lunch with a girl. Though Sendoh was extremely popular with girls, he was never seen hanging around with a single one in school.

"Let's eat in the garden? It's more peaceful there." Sendoh suggested. He was well aware of the excitement that he was creating by eating lunch with the new girl.

Standing in the cafeteria with Sendoh at her side, Yuki felt that her every single movement was being scrutinized and recorded. She was a veteran in such situations for she had always attracted lots of attention from guys and sometimes from girls, but the amount of attention directed to them now was of another level, something in which she had never experienced before and it was making her feel extremely uncomfortable and suffocated. Anxious to get herself away from all the prying eyes, she nodded.

Smiling warmly at her, Sendoh led the way into the garden. Whispers of "Sendoh is finally dating a girl" and phrases like "She is so lucky" could be heard as they passed by the tables.

Yuki stole a glance at the tall young man walking slightly ahead of her and saw that he was relaxed and appeared unfazed by all the attention, it was as if those attentions were part of his everyday life.

*****************

Stepping into the garden, a peaceful and quiet atmosphere greeted them. Sendoh made his way over to an empty table-bench with Yuki following closely behind. He sat himself down, took out the bento boxes and handed one of them to Yuki.

"Thanks." Yuki said coldly and sat herself down opposite Sendoh.

Sendoh was amused by how fast she had managed to regain her composure. Just a while ago in the cafeteria, she had looked like a helpless lost lamb.

Chuckling to himself, Sendoh dug into his lunch. He was very hungry.

"What are you laughing at?" Yuki demanded. She had a feeling that it was about her.

"Huh?? Nope, nothing at all. By the way, I have yet to know your name. Mine is Sendoh. Sendoh Akira."

Yuki rolled her eyes.

_//As if I wouldn't know by now. I must have heard your name a dozen times since yesterday.//_

Choosing to keep her thoughts to herself, in case she inflated his ego further. Yuki calmly introduced herself "Yuki. Yuki Hamasaki". With that, she opened her own bento box and began eating her lunch.

Sendoh looked at her between bites of food and decided she looked really pretty with her small, straight nose and high cheekbones. Her jet-black hair was gleaming under the sun and her eyes were something else…..they are bright green but cold. Her eyes together with her attitude reminded him of Rukawa. But then, on second thoughts, Sendoh decided nobody could beat Rukawa in terms of coldness. He was one in ten million. 

"You know, you really remind me of a good friend of mine. He behaves just like you, speaking only when spoken to and in monosyllabic answers too. But then he is much colder than you. Speaking to him in the initial stages is just like talking to an ice block. He still doesn't talk much even though we are good friends now. I think I should introduce you to him some other time." Sendoh laughed as his mind conjured up the image of the two, locked in a glaring contest. Blue fox eyes against green almond-shaped eyes.

As much as Yuki hated to admit it, she felt herself warming up to the guy laughing in front of her. He was unlike the rest of the guys he had met before. Most of the guys around her were either too shy and timid, not knowing how to react in front of her or too showy and arrogant, trying their best to impress her. But this guy was different. He was confident without being overbearing and yet he made you feel at ease with his constant smiles and disarming laughter. 

Taking a closer look at the young man who was now concentrating on his food again, Yuki could see why girls were crazy over him. He was extremely handsome. He had sparkling, dreamy eyes that were as blue as the ocean. His straight manly nose was sculpted to perfection on his chiseled face. But what was most attractive about him was his laid-back confidence. The way he carried himself seemed to tell the world that he could handle anything and everything that came his way and that nothing would ever faze him. 

"Oh…you play volleyball right?" Sendoh suddenly raised the question. He had noticed the volleyball on the table and decided to start another conversation.

Caught off guard, Yuki was unable to turn her gaze in time and found herself staring straight into the blue eyes. Blushing slightly, she lowered her gaze before replying softly "Hai."

"My Oneesan used to play volleyball too." Sendoh casually continued, as if he did not notice her blushes at all. "She graduated from Kanagawa University two years ago, you might have heard about her from the seniors in your team. Her name is Sendoh Yumeru."

Yuki's eyes widened at the mention of that name. Of course she knew who Sendoh Yumeru was. She was the captain of the volleyball team two years ago and had led the team to the glory of being national champions. According to her seniors and sensei, she was the best volleyball player in the history of Kanagawa University.

"She is your Oneesan?" Yuki asked incredulously. She could not help but be impressed.

Amused at her sudden change in expression, Sendoh smirked before replying "Yeah. Talent runs in our family." 

Yuki rolled her eyes and frowned slightly at the bravado of this young man but she knew that his claims were in a way true. After all, she had heard from her friend that he was the ace player in the basketball team and she knew that the team was one of the finest in the country.

Suddenly, Sendoh's face contorted into one lined with concern. Without warning, he stood up slightly from his seat and leaned forward across the table towards Yuki, peering closely at her forehead. Yuki's breath got caught in her chest as she found herself staring into those blue eyes again but from a much closer range this time. His face was just a mere few inches away from hers, he was so near that she could catch a swift of his light cologne. 

"Is your forehead better? I am so sorry about yesterday." Sendoh apologized genuinely as he inspected the small bump on her forehead. 

Regaining her equanimity, Yuki leaned backwards as she replied composedly, "It's just a small knock. Don't you have anything to do now?" 

For some reasons she didn't understand, she wanted him to go.

"Oh shoot!! Yeah! I got a one-one match with the 'Ice Block' I mentioned to you earlier. It nearly slipped my mind!" Sendoh exclaimed as he quickly finished his last bit of food and tossed the empty bento box into a waste bin a few feet away. It went in with distinctive accuracy. 

Pulling himself up, Sendoh looked at his watch and realized that he was late, his watch showed 1.40pm now. 

"Got to go, Yuki. Enjoyed my lunch today tremendously. Hope to see you around in school tomorrow." Sendoh flashed her one of his charming smiles and before Yuki could even mumble a 'goodbye', he had already darted across the garden. 

//_Wonder what is Ru doing now? Hope he has not been waiting for too long.//_

******************

TBC


	6. Chapter Five

**Dilemma - Chapter 5**

Disclaimer: Slam Dunk and its characters do not, in any way, belong to me. 

Duh…. Kinda slow-moving but do try to enjoy ne? Both constructive reviews and flames are welcome. ^^

On with the story! Oh yeah, when I was writing the fic, the song 'Unbreakable' by Westlife kept replaying in my mind. I thought the song fits senru perfectly! ^^

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Wiping away the droplets of sweat from his face, Rukawa looked towards the empty driveway and narrowed his eyes. 

_//Baka.//_

He had been playing alone at the usual basketball court since an hour ago but had yet to see the spiky-haired boy anywhere. Turning his attention back to his own game, Rukawa bounced his ball once…twice….and in a blink of an eye, he was gone from his previous spot. Charging towards the net at full speed, he did a 360 degree turn around an imaginary opponent before he jumped high into the air and did a powerful two-handed dunk.

Landing gracefully onto the ground, Rukawa ran his hand through his sweat-doused hair in an attempt to get them out of his eyes before he bent down to pick up his ball.

Dribbling his ball as he walked away from the net, Rukawa paused at the 3-point line and turned to face the net again. Just as this moment, he heard the sound of a car pulling up. Smiling slightly, he let go of the ball in his hands and watched it sailed smoothly into the air before it landed into the net without touching the rims.

Running footsteps were heard, followed by a familiar voice.

"Great shot!"

Not turning back, Rukawa started walking towards his bouncing leather ball which had just landed on the ground.

Seeing that the younger boy had no intention of acknowledging his presence, Sendoh with a wince in his voice, apologized "Gomen-ne. I don't mean to be late." 

Rukawa turned and shot Sendoh a half-hearted glare as he walked towards him. He stopped a few feet away from the spiky-haired boy and threw the ball into his chest before replying sarcastically "What's new?"

Holding the ball in one hand, Sendoh rubbed his chest with the other and grinned. He knew that this was Rukawa's way of accepting his apology.

"Aren't you going to ask me the reason why I'm late?"

The younger boy just shrugged his shoulders lightly and made his way towards the sidelines to get a drink from his bottle. Knowing Sendoh, it couldn't be anything important. Besides, he did not have to ask, the older boy would tell him out of his own accord, he always did.

As expected, Sendoh followed him to the sidelines and said "Remember the soccer captain I mentioned to you before? Well, I saw him harassing this really pretty girl and I decided to save her from him. You should have been there to see his face when I embarrassed him by not knowing his existence." Sendoh sniggered as he recalled the look on the soccer captain's face.

"Oh…and I should really introduce the girl to you some day. She might be your long-lost sister for all you know. She really reminds me of you, the same aloofness and coldness. But then she is not as cold an ice to break as you, I had lunch with her and managed to get her to converse with me." 

The last bit of sentence caught Rukawa's attention. He was slightly taken aback that Sendoh would lunch with a girl. As far as he knew, Sendoh never hanged around with girls, even though he was termed as a Lady's man.

Dismissing his thoughts, Rukawa stood up and grabbed the ball from Sendoh and proceeded back to the court.

"First to 21 points win." Rukawa challenged the older boy to their usual game as he spun the leather ball with his index finger.

Sendoh grinned. "This will be an easy game. You had ready used up part of your energy before I came while I'm still fresh." One look at the sweat-soaked t-shirt of the younger boy was enough proof to know that he had been practicing for a rather long time.

Sendoh's near impudence earned him a snarl from the usually calm and collected boy.

"Over my dead body." Rukawa scowled. His usual expressionless eyes were now burning with fury and indignation at the nerve of the older boy. He was determined to make him eat his words.

Sendoh smiled at the response and made his way into the court. After all, it wasn't everyday that he got to see any kind of expressions on that perfect face other than the usual ice-cold look.

Dribbling the ball low, Rukawa positioned himself to attack while Sendoh put up his defenses. 

With a sudden burst of energy and speed, Rukawa charged forward to his right and Sendoh followed closely. Just at this moment, Rukawa suddenly took a step back and bounced the ball to his left……collecting the ball with his left hand, he sped off. The sheer speed and force of that move took Sendoh by surprise and the next thing he knew, Rukawa had done a spectacular dunk.  

Flicking droplets of glistening sweat off his forehead, Rukawa turned to face Sendoh and coolly remarked "That was just a warm up."

Sendoh raised his eyebrows at the obvious taunt, fire burning through his body. "We'll see." 

*********************

Dark clouds hovered threateningly over the sky and thunder echoed through the air.

"I won't let you pass me." The pale-raven haired boy panted.

"Oh yeah? I doubt so." As soon as he said that, Sendoh bounced the ball under Rukawa's legs and as quick as lightning, he ran past the younger boy to retrieve the ball. 

Lighting flashed across the sky and drops of rain gently pelted the basketball court. 

Retrieving the ball, Sendoh sped off towards the net as the rain fell softly onto his skin, with Rukawa closely behind him. Nearing the net, both of them jumped, Sendoh to shoot and Rukawa to block. Determined to get the ball in despite the block, Sendoh switched the ball from his right hand to his left in mid-air and arched his left arm under Rukawa. He then gently let go of the ball in a spin for a lay-up. The ball rolled around the rim once….and twice before it went in.

The score was 17-15 in Sendoh's favor.

By this time, the rain was falling heavily.

"Ru….we have to go, the rain's too heavy. Quick, get to my car!" Sendoh exclaimed as he ran to the sidelines to collect their stuff. 

Picking up the ball that had just landed onto the ground, Rukawa replied icily as the rain splashed onto his body, "The game's not finished yet." He was clearly unhappy about the earlier shot.

Thunder rolled through the air.

"Nope. We are not going to continue, not in this weather. You will get sick and it's too dangerous." Sendoh said with resolution as he grabbed the younger boy by the arm and pulled him towards his waiting car, unlocking his car using his remote control at the same time.

By the time both of them got into the car, they were totally drenched all over. 

"Now what?" Rukawa said in irritation as he looked out the window. The rain was really pouring down and there was no hope of finishing the game, unless they planned to land themselves in hospital, either from broken limbs or pneumonia.

_//Stupid rain.//_

"Well, let's get back to your house then. You need to change out of this fast, I don't you to fall sick." Sendoh said with concern etched in his face as he steered the car in the direction to Rukawa's house.

"Yare yare, like you won't." Rukawa retorted back and looked out the window again. He wanted to hide the tiny smile that was creeping into his face. Although he was irritated with the current situation; the rain and the fact that the score was in Sendoh's favour, he couldn't help but feel warmth at the concern shown to him by the older boy. It had been a long time since he last remembered anyone caring for him………

*******************

"Thanks. Now get into the bathroom. I will take care of myself." Sendoh took the towel offered to him and pushed a rather reluctant boy towards the bathroom.

Rukawa turned and cast a glance at his bed and then back to the wet boy who was currently pushing him towards the bathroom with the slightest frown on his face. 

Both of them were drenched from head to toe and were now in the comfort of Rukawa's bedroom.

Following Rukawa's gaze, Sendoh rolled his eyes and said in an exasperated tone, "Don't worry…I promise not to go anywhere near your bed till I am high and dry, ok?"

Sendoh knew how particular Rukawa was over the cleanliness of his room, especially his bed. He remembered how the younger boy had scowled and kicked him off the bed once when he had made himself comfortable on his bed after a game in all his glorious sweat. Well, that was the first and last time Sendoh ever went near his bed without first cleaning himself up.

Giving the older boy a 'you-had-better-or-I-will-punch-the-daylights-out-of-you' look, Rukawa draped his white towel over his neck before he disappeared into the bathroom.

Sendoh let out a small chuckle at the response and proceeded to dry himself with the towel. His shirt and shorts were totally drenched all over and he quickly slipped out of his shirt, revealing his bare torso, intending to dump them in the laundry basket. His hair was also in a total mess, the rain had managed to dissolve his hair gel. Tousling his hair with the towel, Sendoh flopped himself into Rukawa's study chair and his eyes wandered lazily across the room. He had been in the younger boy's room several times and decided that the décor of the room totally reflected its owner's character; simple and fuss-free.

The room was lightly-furnished. A queen-size oak bed, a matching wardrobe, a long oak study table and a mega framed poster of Michael Jordan were all that adorned the spacious bedroom. 

The only interesting thing in the entire room was the contents on the long oak table. A high-quality mini-stereo system stood at one corner, accompanied by stacks and stacks of CDs. Running his fingers down the stacks of CDs, Sendoh decided that the boy had a wide range of music taste. His music collection included Hoobastank, U2, Coldplay, Eminem, Bond and even ballads from boy bands such as Westlife. And despite the fact that Rukawa was not exactly a genius when it comes to school, his school books were arranged neatly in a book stand, according to their heights. A sleek Fujitsu notebook lay on the table, its appearance once again reflecting its owner's stylish taste. 

Roaming his eyes further down the table, Sendoh stopped short at a very thick and used hard-covered book. It was the _only thing in the entire house that really intrigued him._

It was Rukawa's personal dairy. 

When he had first seen the book a couple of months back, he had casually opened the thick book and flipped through the pages. Rukawa had immediately slammed the book shut, not caring at all if Sendoh's fingers were trapped or bruised in the process and had then coldly uttered "That's _private."_

"Oi, your turn now." A deep familiar voice came from behind and snapped Sendoh out of his reverie.

Turning around, Sendoh saw that Rukawa had just came out of the bathroom in a new pair of shorts and a clean black singlet, accentuating his fair skin while blending in perfectly with his damp raven hair, which he was still drying with his white towel.

"Oh, ok." Sendoh stood up from his the chair and walked towards the bathroom.

Passing by the younger boy on his way to the bathroom, Sendoh carelessly waved his rain and sweat-soaked shirt in front of Rukawa. "Where do I put this?"

The younger boy quickly took a step backwards. "Go away. I have just bathed."

Seeing the mischievous glint in the older boy's eyes, Rukawa instantly regretted his actions. Now he was in for trouble.

"But I have no idea where to dump it." Sendoh feigned innocence as he advanced menacingly towards the younger boy, all the while waving this sweat-soaked shirt dangerously in the air.

Rukawa gave the advancing boy one of his fiercest glares but somehow Sendoh managed to take no notice of it as he continued his menacing advance, either that or he had grew immune to the cold glares often dished out by the younger boy.

With his usual dead-pan face, Rukawa took a step backwards with every step Sendoh took. The last thing he wanted was Sendoh's dirty shirt making contact with any part of his body but he sure had no intent of showing his real emotions.

Sendoh had no intention of doing anything drastic like throwing his shirt in Rukawa's face. As far as he knew, the boy was a hygiene freak and most probably he would sock him in the eye if he ever did anything close to that. But the uneasiness apparent in Rukawa's actions was not something one gets to see everyday or even in a lifetime and he was enjoying every minute of it. Hell, that guy hardly ever got riled by anything.

"Oh, come on… people would love to have a piece of my shirt." Sendoh grinned as he took several more steps towards the glaring boy.

Rukawa back stepped equal steps, each step in tune with Sendoh's till he felt his back came to a meet with the wall. He had unconsciously allowed the older boy to corner him.

"Not me." Rukawa tried his best to say in his usual stoic face. He knew Sendoh was enjoying himself and he definitely was not going to make this anymore enjoyable by showing the unease creeping up in him. He had half a mind to just kick the older boy in the shin.

"I am sure you…" Before Sendoh could finish his sentence, his feet tripped over Rukawa's towel on the floor which had earlier dropped from the younger boy's shoulders. 

He lost his balance and fell forward….

The next thing Rukawa knew, he was trapped in between Sendoh's strong arms which were pressed against the wall in an attempt to break his own fall and he had his own hands on Sendoh's bare chest, trying to prevent himself from being squashed.

Both of their faces were mere inches apart and Rukawa could feel the older boy's breaths on his face. Suddenly, he was aware of the feel of Sendoh's well-muscled chest under his palms and how attractive the older boy looked with his hair falling all over his handsome face.

His heartbeat quickened and he blushed slightly, a light crimson shade forming on his fair skin.

"Gomen, are you hurt?" Sendoh asked in urgent concern. He was afraid his sudden fall of weight would sprain the younger boy's hands. However, he made no attempt to shift himself from his position as he remained oblivious to Rukawa's discomfort.

Removing his hands from Sendoh's chest, Rukawa hastily pushed away the older boy's hand and got himself out of the awkward position.

"Yeah. Just go bathe now." With that, Rukawa quickly left the room, leaving a bewildered Sendoh alone in the room.

****************

TBC


End file.
